***Official**** Sri Lanka in New Zealand 2014/2015

[Bahnz]

Southee's pace has wandered all over the shop in the past couple of years. Was prob close to 140 average in Sri Lanka a couple years back, struggled to average 130 through most of the England series, was more like 135 v India and West Indies this year, but has lapsed back to 130 in the past couple of months.

 

[viriya]

I'm more annoyed that Ajantha didn't even get a place in the squad. I'm fairly certain SL will miss him in the WC (say when Sena goes for runs like today - at least Ajantha gets wickets).

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Yeah but Southee isn't 175 years old like Mills. It's just a blip, not decline due to daminishing ability.

{hypermegabole}

He's actually doing bloody well considering his age.

 

[Zinzan]

Coming off his worst year in ODI cricket, bugger all cricket since last summer, now injured and not even playing domestic cricket..

You have to admit, 6 wickets in 5 games with an ER of 4.83 in the last 12 months isn't a bad 'worst year ever'. Anything under 5s is very good these days.

 

[Flem274*]

Yeah but Southee isn't 175 years old like Mills. It's just a blip, not decline due to daminishing ability.

And we know Mills is on the decline based on one bad year after 10 excellent years?

I'm not dropping one of our best ever ODI bowlers because he had a bad year and replacing him with someone who has never had a good year, especially when Boult's aggressive length and skiddy pace begs to be hit when the ball isn't swinging.

 

[Bahnz]

Sigh, I could totally see us losing a game against Bangladesh on a pitch like this.

 

[viriya]

Sigh, I could totally see us losing a game against Bangladesh on a pitch like this.

A better question is why the **** would NZ setup a pitch like this vs a subcontinent team?

 

[Flem274*]

Southee's pace has wandered all over the shop in the past couple of years. Was prob close to 140 average in Sri Lanka a couple years back, struggled to average 130 through most of the England series, was more like 135 v India and West Indies this year, but has lapsed back to 130 in the past couple of months.

Those radars were weird though. Southee, Boult and Wagner barely got out of the 120s all series while Anderson and Broad were bowling 135-140. Either our boys randomly lost all pace, Anderson and Broad are genuine 145+ speedsters or...

 

[Howsie]

And we know Mills is on the decline based on one bad year after 10 excellent years?

I'm not dropping one of our best ever ODI bowlers because he had a bad year and replacing him with someone who has never had a good year, especially when Boult's aggressive length and skiddy pace begs to be hit when the ball isn't swinging.

I'd tend to think it does. He's old, generally when performance drops away it's due to Father Time catching up.

 

[viriya]

So Dimuth making runs at 55 SR is good I guess? If this was a 275 run chase I would be more pissed but I hope the team doesn't consider this "seeing off the new ball for the team". Especially considering there was barely any swing.

 

[Howsie]

A better question is why the **** would NZ setup a pitch like this vs a subcontinent team?

It's how Hamilton plays nowadays. Has done for a few years now.

 

[Flem274*]

A better question is why the **** would NZ setup a pitch like this vs a subcontinent team?

Because the domestic side who play here can only win a game when there is help for their bits and pieces fingerspinners.

That and the new groundsman keeps overdoing the turn (see the West Indies test).

 

[Zinzan]

UAE and West Indies, yes.

Hard to confirm now, but I swear Southee has been closer to the 129-136 range in the last 3 series.

 

[viriya]

I'd tend to think it does. He's old, generally when performance drops away it's due to Father Time catching up.

You can't drop Mills for a WC campaign like this. NZ will absolutely need that experience in crunch games.

 

[Flem274*]

I'd tend to think it does. He's old, generally when performance drops away it's due to Father Time catching up.

Nah plenty of bowlers have played well beyond 35 despite ebbing and flowing a bit.

 

[Zinzan]

Sigh, I could totally see us losing a game against Bangladesh on a pitch like this.

Yeah there's little doubt this track suits SL more than us, accentuated by the fact we gifted all those wickets. My bet is SL would have chased down 275- 280 had we got there.

 

[Howsie]

You can't drop Mills for a WC campaign like this. NZ will absolutely need that experience in crunch games.

Experience. Don't make me bring Scaly in here to talk about the bull**** that is experience.

 

[Howsie]

Nah plenty of bowlers have played well beyond 35 despite ebbing and flowing a bit.

Such as?

 

[Flem274*]

Should have played it here and bowled first. The ball would have been hooping before the heat showers.

 

[Flem274*]

Such as?

Shoaib, Lee, McGrath, ten million spinners.